Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, right, shoots and makes his first three-point shot in his first game back in action for the Blazers in their season opening game against the Phoenix Suns at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore., on Oct. 21, 2026.
Eli Imadali / OPB
Fans of the Portland Trail Blazers rejoiced Wednesday night after the team’s dominating performance against the Phoenix Suns in their first game of the season.
It ended up being a statement game for Damian Lillard and the rest of the Blazers. They defeated the Suns by a whopping 41 points, winning 124-83. Lillard finished the night with 25 points, including six successful three-point shots.
Nearly all of the Blazers fans who spoke to OPB said they were excited for Lillard’s return to the active roster, and the addition of star player Ja Morant.
Kevin Ngo of Portland said Dame’s return could be huge for a team on the rise. The Blazers returned to the playoffs last season for the first time in five years.
“I think that Dame, he brings that calm energy — a true leader,” Ngo said. “He’s somebody that really gets everybody to play and do everything really hard, just because of the guy he is.”
There were few empty seats inside the Moda Center on Wednesday. The pre-game festivities reached a fever pitch right before tip-off, when Lillard made a short speech to a packed crowd.
“We’re excited for what’s to come for our team,” Lillard said to a thunderous applause.
Other players had stand-out performances, as well. Deni Avdija, coming off a successful campaign last year that saw him selected as an All-Star, earned a double-double in the dominating victory.
Of course, much of the Blazers’ biggest storylines are also off the court.
The victory comes amid ongoing uncertainty for the future of the team. Some fans said the off-season drama surrounding new owner Tom Dundon — and the debate over public funding for Moda Center renovations — had somewhat dampened the mood.
Cindy Naughton made the three-hour drive from Pendleton to the game on Wednesday. She expressed an oft-repeated critique that Dundon is unwilling to invest a lot of money in the organization.
“It’s not like he has to be extravagant, but he just seems like he’s walking in and throwing everything away,” Naughton said.
Ngo said he’s skeptical that the team will leave Portland. He also said the best way to win over fans is for Dundon to fulfill his intention of bringing a title to Rip City.
“If he brings a championship to Portland, very few people are gonna care about all this other stuff,” he said.
